


Costumes and Curtain Calls

by Lt_Kickbutt



Series: Climbing the Ladder [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Drug Dealing, F/M, One Room Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6109306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lt_Kickbutt/pseuds/Lt_Kickbutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Under a whole new kind of pressure Roman seeks the help of an old friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Favorite Fashionista

**Author's Note:**

> Really different from the other stuff in the series. Lots of dialogue and only a couple of settings. With so much dialogue be sure to ask if something is confusing, its probably a mistake on my part.

“These are the new products for the month. Study them up and I’ll be sending the dresses here for you all to try on and wear at work. Do I have all you ladies sizes?” The group of four nodding ladies and two gentlemen surrounded Coco Adel as she tapped on her scroll.

“Ok, gentlemen. This is the new suit you will be wearing. They are also coming, I want you to wear these at work and I need them to be perfect so when you try them on and if there are any problems you _need_ to tell me.” The group dispersed and lined up across in front of Coco, “You all have been doing so well these last couple months and I couldn’t be prouder. The Adel opening clothing line is still hot as hell right now, but we want to get ahead of the fashion. I have a new ad airing with the crowning ceremony of the Vacuo queen and many important dignitaries will be wearing Adel. This is very important because if high fashion can blow up in Vacuo we’ll be right there on the front lines. It’s going to come down to you all knowing this stuff front to back and being as gracious as possible.”

The group of employees smiled excited hearing their leader talk about such a bright future. Coco’s clothing store, of the same name, was located in the heart of Vale and after throwing some excellent parties for the Vytal Festival she was all the rage. Her company grew faster than anyone expected but Coco radiated confidence and poise in her company’s expansion. The staff bowed their heads and they all broke off to go back to work. Coco caught herself admiring what she built again and shook her head back into the game.

“Miss Adel!” The employee running the counter poked his head into the back room. “There is a man and a woman, rather poorly dressed, in the front asking for you. At least I think it’s you, he keeps asking to see Coconuts.”

Coco’s eyebrows nearly flew off her head in surprise, “Thank you Rodger, I’ll take care of them.” Coco took three steps towards the front before turning back around, “Could you be so kind to prep the private fitting room for us?”

“Of course, ma’am” and Rodger bounded away in a hurry.

Sliding on her sunglasses Coco walked to the front of the store. In front of the counter stood Neo and Roman Torchwick wearing t-shirts, blue jeans, and Adel sunglasses. On Roman’s head was a simple red ball cap and around Neo’s head was a black bandana.

“What the hell…are you both _wearing?!_ ” Peering over the top of her sunglasses Coco eyed them up and down.

Roman smiled, “Aww don’t be like that Coconuts, we’ve come to see our favorite fashionista.”

Coco’s eyes shank into a glare, “Don’t say shit like that. Come on and follow me.” Coco led the pair down to the very end of the hall and threw open the door on the left. She gave a bit of a bow as she motioned for Roman and Neo to enter. As they walked inside she ducked through the door on her right, grabbed up a particular dress off the rack there and followed her customers into the large fitting room.

The door closed shut with a sucking sound and complete silence filled the room. “Is this room soundproof?”  

“That is what you paid for.” Roman took off his sunglasses and threw his hat onto the ground as Neo zoomed to Coco’s side with an oppressive hug. “Hey there, Shorty” she managed to choke out. “I got this for you special, custom made by yours truly.” Coco held up the dress she had just picked up. It was a shimmering gingerbread brown gown but when turned in the light the shimmer would glow a slight pink at the bottom.  Neo’s eyes sparkled as she accepted the dress and threw off her shirt.

“That’s great Coconuts, but we’re going to need some walking around clothes too” Roman watched as Neo took off her jeans, stepped into the elegant gown, and fed her arms through their holes.

“I can see that. But why are you here now?” Coco walked over to Neo who was staring at herself in the mirror and zipped up her back.

“Do you still have my measurements Coconuts?” Coco picked up a lint remover off the wall and caught a hair that had fallen on the dress. Holding on Neo’s bare shoulders the pair smiled at each other in the mirror. Neo turned towards Roman and gave him a spin and the gown sparkled a delightful pink just under the brown.

“No. I don’t want to have anything in my store with your name on it. I’m paranoid as it is. Just take off your pants and stand on the step. I’ll measure again.” Obliging their host Roman stepped up and held out his arms and widened his stance for her measuring tape. “So what’s the deal? I’ve been hearing that you’ve been laying low. Atlas military is looking for you like a man possessed.” Coco didn’t bat an eyelash when she got in close to measure his rise and inseam, scratching down the numbers.

“Just rattling the cage” Roman claimed proudly.

“More like gone nuclear. Word from the Atlas military is you beat Winter Schnee up pretty damn good. They almost didn’t find her.”

“I’m going around eh?”

“You _are_ laying low. You are _everywhere_ Torchwick. But what does it have to do with me? You wouldn’t risk coming here with all this attention unless you had a plan.”

“I know you’ve been doing really well, and not even a sniff of authorities in your direction yet, but we have move up our timetable.”

“Oh…kay…and what does that mean?” Coco glanced from Roman to Neo and back waiting for an answer.

“You are going international!” Roman spread his arms and smiled wide as Coco stared at him.

“Do you mean international…with the drugs?” Roman nodded excitedly and Coco rubbed her eyes in response.

“Look, Coconuts. We are totally grounded right now. We are number one on the no fly list and everyone is looking for us. It just so happens to be the worst time as we need to start moving serious parts around. Drugs, money, dust crystals.”

“This isn’t happening. I can move your shit around just fine in Vale, I can avoid the cops, avoid Morty’s guys, but getting around international security is another animal.” With a pat on his butt Roman’s fitting finished. Stepping down he slid his pants back on while Neo continued to twirl and admire her new dress in the mirror.

“This was always part of the plan. Your clothing store has worked perfectly in couriering my own dirty laundry. Don’t forget who it was who vacated your _dream location_ , paid for this new building, and also no one has done more to network you. Not to mention you keep a hundred percent of the clothing profits and half of everything else.”

“Seventy-five percent.” A smug smile crept across Coco’s face, “if we’re-”

“Done!”

“Shit” Coco sighed. “Alright. Whatever. Just hang tight for five minutes. I’ll go get you some street clothes.” Exiting the room Coco slammed the door behind her. Neo gracefully stepped over to Roman who had taken a seat and rubbed his legs with the bottom section of her gown. As it sparkled the pair smiled.

“You look amazing.” Neo held out her open palm which Roman grabbed she pulled him to his feet. Neo draped her arm over his shoulder as Roman put his hand on her hip. With no room to do actual steps the pair stared into each other’s eyes, “We’ll go dancing soon, I promise” Placing his hand on her cheek Neo leaned her head into it allowing Roman to hold her up. Taking his hand off her hip Roman reached behind Neo and slowly began unzipping her. Without flinching Neo placed her hand on top of the hand on her face and caressed his fingers. Grabbing ahold of Roman’s hand Neo moved it off her face and stood up tall, chin raised.

Leaning in Roman pressed his lips against hers as the gown fell off her body. Breaking the kiss abruptly Neo made a hasty grab at the gown so it wouldn’t fall to the floor. Roman laughed it off when she turned her back to him and looked up with her large, beautifully off colored eyes for the rest of her kiss. Just then Coco returned to the room with stacks of clothes in her arms stopped frozen by the proximity of Roman and Neo. With a raised eyebrow she watched Neo clutch Roman around the torso, head against chest, and then step out of her gown carefully and hang it back up.

“Jesus. Okay. These will work so you don’t look like a pair of mallrats.” Setting the clothes down, “So what is it that I’m going to be smuggling hidden in my cargo?”

“Ah, Coconuts. The less you know the better. Someone will be hiding the contraband in an unknown box addressed to an unknown person, like always. That’s what I have shadow employees here for.” Roman threw on slacks and a blazer and boxed up the rest of the clothes. “How much do I owe you? For these and the gown?”

“Please.” Coco answered curtly.

“No I mean it. This past week, the Schnee problem, has put a lot into perspective for me. Friends are something I have so few of” Roman grabbed her hands and clutched them together, “and I take care of my friends.”

Coco shook him off, adding numbers in her head, “Yeah, friends. You know I will disown you if anyone smells a lick of trouble.”

“And it is by the grace of our friendship that I won’t bat an eyelash when that day comes.”

“2600 lien for the lot, and that’s cheap.” Roman pulled a stack of lien cards out of his jean pocket and handed an amount to Coco.

Coco opened the door and motioned for the pair to leave. Roman crossed through the doorway saying, “Your first international shipment. It’s all very exciting. You should be there to see it off, for nostalgia.” With that Roman and Neo slid on their sunglasses and hats, led themselves down the hall, and exited Coco’s to return to hiding.


	2. We're International

Grey clouds covered the sky above the airstrip. On the ground was a large cargo plane fully loaded, crew on board, and ready for takeoff. Outside at a safe distance of the plane Coco stood wearing her beret, which had to be held down as not to fly off by the wind, and her sunglasses, utterly pointless on such a gloomy day. Her arms were folded impatiently as she expected something to happen. Cursing Roman for the twelfth time she shuddered from the cold.

Imagining what could be on board Coco’s mind wandered to the first time Roman approached her. She had been looking for financial backers but no one wanted to support a business plan being steered by a student. She merely a huntress, a girl trained to fight, not make clothes. She smiled remembering the first time he took a drag of those crappy cigars in front of her, and his plan to deliver drugs in her boxes of clothing. He promised so much, and despite her moment of weakness that night he has delivered on everything. Just then a convoy of three Atlas military aircraft crested over the horizon to the left and flew towards Coco and her plane.

The second aircraft landed next to Coco as the others surrounded her plane. Stepping off of her plane Winter Schnee with an impressive black eye approached Coco. “Coco Adel. We have a tip that Roman Torchwick is stowing away on your plane.” Coco’s heart dropped completely stunned, but her face remained as stoic as possible.

Coco flailed her arms in a rage, “What are you specialists doing?! I have a deadline to keep, this has to make it to Atlas.” Just then a gust of wind picked up and took away her beret. With a wave of her hand Winter summoned a glyph that caught the freefalling hat and then another glyph that transported Coco’s hat into her hand. Handing this peace offering to Coco with a stern look on her face Winter responded, “Your hat. Do not worry Miss Adel this search won’t take even an hour. Nothing will be damaged.” Motioning to her men they stormed the cargo hatch and opening crates very carefully.

“Right. Okay…” Coco’s trailing voice betrayed her.

Raising her eyebrow, “Is there something I should be expecting?”

Coco froze, cursing Roman in her head for putting her in this position. She considered giving Roman up, but as she did her head shook no. She inhaled angrily and took it out on Winter, “What?! Are you mad? This is just my first international shipment. And now it’s damn near ruined.”

“Right. Well, I do apologize, but you understand the importance of finding this man before he jumps islands.”

Coco let out a dissatisfied grunt through her nose. Coco glanced in Winter’s direction for the first time since she arrived, “Winter Schnee right? I know your kid sister from Beacon. She’s good in a fight. Good looking girl too.” Coco peered over the top of her glasses so Winter could see her eyes move across her body. “You two are a spitting image of each other, good genes.”

“Yes well, it’s good to hear such praise for Weiss. Thank you.”

“That’s quite the shiner you got there. How did that happen?”

At the end of her cordial rope Winter gritted her teeth answering, “Classified mission I’m afraid, but do not worry about me”

The soldiers started filing off the plane and one approached the ladies, “ma’am! The search is nearly complete and there doesn’t seem to be a trace of the suspect or anything out of the ordinary.”

Coco tried to hide her smirk as she reached into her bag, “I have a friend. Best cosmetics you can buy. She offers a discount to the honorable ladies in the military.” Coco scribbled a number down on the back of her card, “That’s my card too. Come check out Coco’s sometime, we’re international now!”

Ignoring Coco for a moment Winter answered her subordinate, “Alright. That’s been long enough, get everyone out so this can take off. Coco slid the card into the v of Winter’s vest, between her breasts, and grazed her hand against Winter’s chest. The solider in front of them blushed with his salute and ran off to perform his duty.

Winter turned right around and snapped, “Do you mind!?” Winter grabbed the card under her vest, crinkled it up, and threw it to the ground. Walking off visibly irritated she called out behind her, “Go about your business. You are free to go.”

Coco yelled out for the last word, “Good luck finding that asshole!” Turning around Coco pulled out her burner scroll and messaged Roman’s emergency number.

_I just got a visit from Winter Schnee. Said she had a lead and searched the plan. Found nothing. What’s going on?_

_There was never anything on this plane. I tipped off the Schnee. Wanted to know what you’d do. So, what did you say?_

_ASSHOLE! I didn’t tell her anything, you’re safe._

_My friend Coconuts :*. Don’t worry if they come to Coco’s either, there hasn’t been anything through there in months. Make no mistake, the following planes will be transporting the dust crystals._

Coco got inside her car and snapped the phone in half, throwing the first half out the window three miles away and the second half miles after that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments, questions, qualms, quarrels, and quandaries below please!

**Author's Note:**

> Four stories in I want to ask earnestly for feedback to all you lovely people reading the series. Do you guys want Roman and Neo as a couple or just a working relationship more? Do you guys like serious, bloody Neo or the sillier Neo? Any characters you guys want to see? Is anyone interested in simply a Neo/Roman story with them hanging out, coming up with ideas, ect? 
> 
> I'd appreciate your feedback and will take it seriously, I'll still write the story I want but there is wiggle room so feel free to suggest things!


End file.
